Katsuta was still in contention for the rally win until Saturday morning, managing to close the gap to Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi to under a second during the first stage of the morning.
Then, disaster struck. The Japanese driver made a driving error, leading to a crash that ended his race. Katsuta took his retirement very hard, shedding tears in front of the media.
By Sunday, the emotions had somewhat settled, but the deep disappointment was still evident in the Japanese driver’s words.
“Nice to finish, but there are so many things I need to improve,” Katsuta lamented.
“It was a very difficult weekend for me. Probably, I made it difficult for myself. I had very good potential, but I was not able to achieve the desired result from this competition,” Katsuta continued.
“I’m really very disappointed in myself,” he added.
Yet, not all was lost. Katsuta demonstrated his potential in Sweden.
“The positive aspect from here at the end is the speed from the first day. We certainly had good performance and potential in the car. So, it was a very good weekend, but I just made it difficult for myself. So, anyway, it’s very, very disappointing. Like everything else, it felt very good,” Katsuta said.
Katsuta has proven his speed, but as is well known, sheer pace is not enough in rallying. At certain points, patience is the thin line between the victor and the vanquished.
“I just need to, let’s say, seize these kinds of opportunities when they come. I definitely need to catch it next time,” Katsuta self-criticized.
Mistakes happen to everyone, but the most important thing is to learn from them.
“This kind of thing can easily happen at this level,” Katsuta reminded.
“I mean, you really need to push hard in this sport. It’s easy to say in hindsight that you were going too fast or pushing too hard. But I need to continue pushing and working. I also need to find the right balance. I have to be a bit more cautious at times. That’s the next step for me,” Katsuta planned.
Katsuta’s next opportunity comes at the end of March when the third event of the World Rally Championship season takes place in Kenya.
“Kenya will be a significant challenge for everyone involved. A different approach is necessary, and we need to start planning for it already,” Katsuta outlined.
By a huge challenge, Katsuta referred to the fact that the Safari Rally is being held in its traditional March slot, likely meaning formidable conditions.
